


Another Reason to Celebrate

by LuceInTheSky



Series: How Our World Gets Made [2]
Category: Bodyguard (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Julia Montague Lives, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:13:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26099176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuceInTheSky/pseuds/LuceInTheSky
Summary: **Chapter 6 uploaded!**Summary: David feels the baby for the first time and pampers Julia after a rough couple of days at work. Later, they have a serious discussion. Followed by more fluff at the end!*DISCLAIMER: For this story, 2020 has not been dominated by Covid.*
Relationships: David Budd/Julia Montague
Series: How Our World Gets Made [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1894855
Comments: 34
Kudos: 103





	1. "Happy Birthday, Mr. Budd!"

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter is very dialogue heavy and I know that's off-putting for some people but I promise future chapters will be more descriptive. Please bear with me!

A few weeks later, Julia was nervous on the ride home--the pit of her stomach heavy with the weight of her news.

It was David’s birthday. Last year, she had thrown him a big bash with some of his closest friends and the children. But this year, he wanted something more low key; just the two of them.

So she had planned a quiet night at home. Had pre-ordered their dinner from their favorite restaurant. Picked up a cake on her lunch break and then...

She’d had a hunch and the next thing she knew, she was sitting in her doctor’s office as she confirmed it. 

To say she was shocked would have been an understatement. They hadn’t exactly been careful, not that they needed to be. Julia just assumed she was too old. 

She walked into their flat, tossing her coat on the couch, and setting down her bags. Jeremy--her current PPO--followed behind her carrying their food, leaving it on the dining room table.

Julia dismissed her bodyguard and moved to the kitchen where she found David. 

His face lit up when he saw her and he walked over to give her a kiss, handing her a glass of wine.

She pushed the glass back towards him when they pulled apart. “I can’t have that.”

He furrowed his eyebrows, laughing a bit. “What do you mean? You always have a glass of wine when you come home.”

“I can’t have that because... I’m pregnant,” she answered, the last part coming out in a whisper; she was still somewhat in disbelief.

At that moment, David had taken a sip of his own wine and coughed, choking a bit. 

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, “What?”

Julia swallowed, repeating herself, “I said I’m pregnant.”

“No, I heard you the first time. I’m just... _shocked_.”

“It’s not like we’ve been careful,” she said, irritation beginning to bubble up. In her head, this was not how she imagined their conversation would go. She moved to sit at their breakfast table, folding her arms in front of her.

“Julia,” David stood across from her, placing his hands on the back of a chair to steady himself. “I didn’t mean for that to come out how it did...I just didn’t think…,”

“You didn’t think what? That I could get pregnant?”

“Well, to be frank, no. You said it yourself, we haven’t been careful. We’re frequent flyers in the pleasure department…,”

She cut him off, “Do you really have to put it like that?”

He sat down in the chair now, reaching across to take her hand. “You know what I mean. Our sex life does not lack anything. I just thought because it hadn’t already happened, it couldn’t.”

“Yes, well, apparently not. In fact, the doctor said I had a surge in my hormones.”

David was silent for a moment as he gathered his thoughts.

She spoke again, “I’m nearly 10 weeks along. I…,” she brushed a hand through her hair.

“Julia, you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. I know it will make things complicated for your job. We have Ella and Charlie. I feel complete with them and with you.”

“Are you saying you don’t want this baby?” She asked, looking up and biting her lip. 

He shook his head, “I’m saying I’m content with the family I have. If you don’t want to have a baby, it is your decision and yours alone…,”

“It’s your baby too, David.”

“But it’s _your_ decision. I don’t want you to think it’s something I expect. Or feel like it’s something you have to do.”

She nodded her head slowly, taking in his words.

“Look, I know how miserable pregnancy can be having witnessed it second hand. It’s not always pleasant or comfortable.”

“You’re sweet,” Julia gave him a tired smile. “To tell you the truth, ever since I found out, it’s all I could think about. I haven’t a clue what to do, but I think I want to do this.”

“You think?”

She shook her head, “No, I do. I want to do this. I just wasn’t sure that you would.”

“Julia, I would love to have a baby with you but like I said, it’s not something I need.”

“But it’s something you want? Now that we know it exists?”

“If it’s something you truly want, then yes, I want it, too.”

She breathed a sigh of relief, “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah? We’re doing this? We’re having a baby?”

Julia nodded, releasing a deep breath. “We’re having a baby.”

David stood, pulling her up with him, and embracing her in a hug. He tried to keep his voice balanced—tried not to get overly excited— for fear of frightening her into changing her mind.

“Shit,” she pulled away. “Shit. I’m so sorry. What a way to make this about me!”

He looked at her, confused.

“I didn’t tell you happy birthday.”

He shrugged, “It’s no big deal. You had something else on your mind. And you told me this morning, remember?”

She laughed, “Oh, yes, I suppose you’re right.”

“I guess this explains your overactive libido,” he said as he rubbed a hand across her belly. Now that he was aware, he felt a slight bulge that he hadn’t noticed before.

“And it explains why I struggled getting my trousers on this morning. I thought I was going mad or that they’d shrunk, but no, it’s me. I’ve gained weight.”

“You’ve gained weight because you’re carrying our baby,” David said as he looked down, his hand still rubbing her belly. He was entranced.

“Good to know you wouldn’t have cared otherwise.”

He kissed her, “Of course, not. You’re gorgeous no matter what.”

“Flattery will get you somewhere, Mr. Budd.”

“Hmm, like the bedroom?”

“Yes,” Julia pecked his lips again, “but first we eat. I’m starved!”

“And it’s no wonder. You're not the only one to feed now.”

She chuckled, “It really does explain so much.”

David grabbed her hand, leading her to the dining room where Jeremy had placed their boxes of food.

“I hope it’s still warm.”

He shrugged, “I don’t really care. I’ve just been given the best gift a man could ask for.”

“Ah, there it is. The ultimate sappiness. I’ve been waiting.” 

“I’ve been told I never fail to deliver.” He raised his eyebrows twice, causing her to roll her eyes in response.

As they sat eating their dinner, Julia wondered, “What will Ella and Charlie think?”

“They’re gonna freak! They’ve both been asking for another sibling for years!”

“Despite you and Vicky not being together?”

He nodded, as he swallowed down a bite of food. “And for as long as we’ve been together, Ella has been asking me constantly.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It’s like I said, I didn’t want you to feel pressured.”

She gave him a soft smile, squeezing his hand in gratitude.

After they finished their supper, they moved to the living room to watch a movie. Julia leaned against his shoulder and David circled an arm around her waist. 

With the voices from the tv fading in the background, Julia looked up at him asking, “Did you have a good birthday?”

“I did,” he smiled as he leaned down for a kiss. “Thank you, this was exactly what I wanted.”

“I’m glad.” She stretched, moving into a more comfortable position and then thought out loud, “How am I going to top this next year?”

“Announce you’re pregnant with twins?” David’s hand was on her belly again; his mind imagining all kinds of things.

“Don’t joke. It could very well be twins now.”

He smiled, “I hope it is!” And she grumbled at his enthusiasm. 

“Our chances of having one of each would be higher.”

Julia shook her head, “I wouldn’t mind a boy…but a girl? I’m not so sure.”

“Why?”

“It’d be our luck she would be just like me. I don’t think I could handle a smaller version of myself.”

David laughed, “Aye, but that’s why I want it to be a girl."

She rolled her eyes, “Christ help us if it is!”

They had finally tumbled into bed before their movie had even ended, Julia having every intention of sharing their dessert first. But as she had gone for ice cream, David snuck up behind her, twirling her around. He pinned her against the steel doors of their fridge, quickly covering her mouth and slipping a few fingers beneath her underwear. He had her shrieking with pleasure in minutes.

Her legs trembled as she came down, taking his lips between her teeth before she pulled away. “Come on.”

“Aye,” he didn’t hesitate as he picked her up and carried her to bed. Their dessert was quickly forgotten.

They lay together, hot and sticky after their celebratory romp. Julia's head rested on his chest as he held her.

“You’re 10 weeks?” He asked, watching as his hand glided across her stomach again. He couldn’t stop touching her.

She nodded, silently.

“We’ll be able to find out soon.”

“Do you want to?” She looked up at him.

“I’m not sure I can go another 30 weeks without knowing.”

Julia raised an eyebrow, “You’ve already figured out how much further I have to go?”

“Yeah! I’m trying to see if I can guess when she’ll be born.”

She shook her head in disbelief, laughing a little. “And now you're already gendering our child?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, smirking. “Because I can see you starting to sweat just thinking about it.”

“David Budd!” She elbowed him in the ribs, “Well, you’ll have to wait because we’re not going to find out the gender.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean exactly what I said. We’re not going to find out. I’ve witnessed too many of my friends care more than they should. And we’re not even going to talk about gender reveal parties.” Julia shook her head, “Ridiculous.”

“Ah come on, I was already thinking of ways we could do it.”

“Oh, fuck off!”

“I’m teasing, love.”

“Good.” Julia sighed, “Glad we’re in agreement.”

“I think I’ve learned by now that if I don’t agree with you, it means a night spent on the couch.”

“ _Precisely_ ,” She laughed wholeheartedly then. “Why do you like to torture me?”

“Because it’s fun watching you squirm!”

“You’re going to pay for this,” she said as she rolled on top of him, straddling his waist.

David’s face broke out into a smile, “Aye, I was hoping you would say that.”

“Cheeky!” 

Julia kissed his lips, grinding her hips into his. "Happy Birthday, Mr. Budd." She whispered into his ear, as they made love again, and then fell asleep, curled in each other’s arms.


	2. "Reunion."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An exciting plan is put into motion and Julia has a reunion with someone from her past. 
> 
> _"What about that small church down the road from his parents' house?” Frances suggested. “He was telling me about it the other day.”_
> 
> _“I’m not so sure that would be…,” Julia trailed off._
> 
> _“I know you’re not religious, but it’s just the right size and it will be convenient for the purpose of you getting ready. Not to mention, it would make transportation easier.”_
> 
> _She hesitated and Frances continued, “He spent a lot of time there when he was younger and I know if...when...you tell him that’s where the ceremony will be, it will mean a lot to him. And you said you wanted this wedding to be special.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is part one of a longer chapter that will include their wedding. I did not write out the proposal as I don't think they would be the type of people that would do anything showy; they don't want to bring unnecessary attention to Julia. Therefore, it is just something David mentions casually at the beginning. And since this chapter is split, it's not very long, but I promise longer chapters are coming.
> 
> One more quick note, David's family has met Julia before all of this takes place. They came to London to meet her in a discreet location even though Julia had been out of hiding for a while. But David being David, wanted to be extra cautious so Julia has not been to Scotland at this point.

The next morning, as they sat eating their breakfast, David brought up the question of marriage to which Julia said yes. But with her still trying to process their news, they decided to wait a few days to get a plan in motion.

A few days, however, turned into a few weeks once Fiona Budd was made aware. They had agreed they would tell her about the baby when they called. David assumed that she would be suspicious about a rushed wedding and would figure it out anyway. When he was on the phone with her, Julia could hear her gleeful shrieks from across the room. She could only dream her mother would react that way. 

David made Fiona swear she wouldn’t tell his father and five siblings that Julia was pregnant yet. They wanted to wait until the wedding. And so instead, in her excitement, she had immediately begun emailing all kinds of things to Julia--from venues to flower shops to dressmakers-- things that were the least of what Julia wanted her second wedding to be at all.

After a constant back and forth over the phone, David had finally somehow managed to keep his mother from flying to London. In fact, he had to tell her more than once to back off. They had managed to keep their guest list to a minimum of fifty people despite Fiona calling and trying to add more; she wanted to include many of the people who had peppered his youth. But he reminded her they wanted it to be small. He didn’t want Julia to feel overwhelmed by all of the guests. And he knew there were a handful of people she would want to include, too. 

At first, Julia was apprehensive about telling her mother, knowing how strained their relationship was. But after a few days, David had convinced her that Frances deserved to know. She had begrudgingly made the phone call, telling her about the wedding and finding the older Montague woman rather receptive. She’d offered any help she could, and for once in Julia’s life, it seemed completely genuine. 

A week later, Frances arrived in London though, in the beginning, things were a bit awkward between them. While planning for her first wedding, her mother had criticized every detail she could. Julia couldn’t deny that she had serious anxiety about this time being any different. However, much to her surprise, Frances only spoke up to share her opinions when her daughter was having trouble making a decision.

She had wanted to get married in the town David had grown up in. She wanted to see his roots and where his life had been made. But when it came down to deciding just where exactly they should get married, that’s where Julia was struggling.

_"What about that small church down the road from his parents’ house?” Frances suggested. “He was telling me about it the other day.”_

_“I’m not so sure that would be…,” Julia trailed off._

_“I know you’re not religious, but it’s just the right size and it will be convenient for the purpose of you getting ready. Not to mention, it would make transportation easier.”_

_She hesitated and Frances continued, “He spent a lot of time there when he was younger and I know if...when...you tell him that’s where the ceremony will be, it will mean a lot to him. And you said you wanted this wedding to be special.”_

Her mother was right, it would be special. So she agreed, they would be married in the church where David had grown up.

xxx

Three days before their wedding, they arrived in Scotland and stayed at the Budd residence. A couple of hours later, they were joined by David’s siblings as well as cousins of Julia’s, and both families bonded immediately. 

When her mother arrived a day later, Frances felt emotional that she was still being included in her daughter’s wedding. Thankfully, during all of the planning, their relationship had remained amicable. But she knew there were things that had been left unsaid that needed to be discussed. 

That afternoon, after settling her things in her room, Frances walked out onto the veranda searching for her daughter. She found her sitting on the cushioned settee, shaded under a big tree, and reading a book.

“Julia, may I speak with you?”

She looked up from where she was reading, giving her mother a cursory glance. 

“Yes, what is it?”

Frances sat beside her, desperately wanting to take her daughter’s hand, but knowing the emotional scars she had caused over the years had yet to fully mend. She didn’t want to push her luck.

“I’m aware that our relationship is strained at best,” her daughter started to protest, but she held up a hand. “Please, let me continue.”

Julia nodded, closing her book and resting it on her lap.

Taking a deep breath, Frances began to speak again. “I know when you were growing up that we weren’t always close. I traveled for work and left you and your father to care for yourselves a lot. Even when I was there, I knew I could be difficult...cold, even.” She sighed. “But you were my headstrong, ambitious girl. I saw the way you looked at the world, and all I wanted was to protect you. You were stubborn. And loved to go against everything I told you to do and it frightened me to feel so powerless. I didn’t know how to handle those emotions, so I pushed you away.”

After a moment, she looked down at her hands. “There are a lot of things about that time that I regret, and I wish I had better reasoning for it, but that’s why I was so against your marriage to Roger. I knew how unhappy he was going to make you, but I didn’t dare tell you that. I hated knowing what that future looked like, but not being able to do anything about it. Or _choosing_ not to do anything about it. I should have had that conversation with you. As hard as it would have been, I should have spoken up.”

“Perhaps, but I had to learn that lesson on my own, Mother. And I did...eventually.” Julia gave her a soft smile, an encouragement for her to continue.

“I know that planning a wedding is stressful, but you haven’t seemed like yourself. Is something wrong?”

If she had inherited anything from her mother, it had been her ability to push down her emotions. She was not going to cry, at least, not right now. That would surely give her secret away. She couldn’t recall a time in her grown life that Frances had ever seen her cry. But knowing how her mother would likely react to the news scared her and at that moment, her emotions were beginning to get the best of her.

“Nothing is wrong, no. But, I guess what they say about a mother’s intuition is correct.” She closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath before she admitted her confession. “I’m pregnant.”

“You're pregnant?” For a beat, Frances showed no emotion.

Julia swallowed hard, “Yes.”

A smile appeared on her mother’s face then, “Oh, darling, how wonderful! I am so happy for you!”

“You are?”

“Truly, I’m just happy to see you happy, Julia! I believe David is the right fit for you. I know he is a good, no, a great father. I'm sure he’s over the moon about this! I’ve seen how much he dotes on you already. And I have no doubt that he is going to take good care of you. Not that you’ve ever needed anyone for that…,”

Julia laughed, “Thank you, Mother.” She leaned forward to hug Frances for the first time that either of them could remember.

Her mother held her closely, breathing in her scent and committing it to memory. A lump had formed in her throat and she cleared it, pulling away to look at her daughter. “How do you feel about this? I didn’t know it was something in your plans.”

“It wasn’t. I never saw myself as a mother, but things are different with David. I’ve never felt happier.”

Frances nodded, wiping away a stray tear that had fallen, “Do his parents know?”

Julia shook her head. “Well, Fiona knows because we told her when we called about the wedding. But we’re waiting until after the ceremony to tell everyone else.”

The grey-haired woman patted her hand, “That sounds like a good idea. Focus on one thing at a time. But you’re well?”

“Yes,” she nodded, grasping her mother’s hands, “I saw the doctor before I left. Everything is right on track. I’m 14 weeks tomorrow.”

“Gosh,” her mother began, sitting back further and holding their arms out to look at her. “I never would have guessed. When I was pregnant with you, I was already showing by now.”

Julia chuckled, “There’s definitely something there. David can tell you that,” she looked down. “I’ve just gotten good at hiding it. My team has been especially good at helping me keep it a secret.”

“Oh, I haven’t even thought about the press! What are you going to do?”

“We have a plan to release a statement once we’re back from the honeymoon.”

Frances nodded, “Good, good. That’s smart.”

“They’re going to have a field day, of course. They always seem to when it concerns David and me.” 

“You’d think it would die down by now…,”

“Apparently not. ‘ _Tory Home Secretary Falls for Liberal Bodyguard_ ’ is still a hot topic in this country. I’m used to being in the press, but poor David, they were particularly awful to him when we announced the wedding. I wish we could skip announcing my pregnancy altogether, but I know that would only fuel the fire.”

“It would. Just...don't let it upset you too much.”

She nodded, “My team already has all kinds of statements ready to shut down anything we don’t like. Unfortunately, keeping Roger out of it is going to be more difficult.”

“He’s just jealous. He never wanted to be a father. Not that he could have been; he has no patience in that regard.”

Julia laughed, “I don’t really either but I think David will make up for it.”

“You may surprise yourself,” Frances tutted. 

“We’ll see.”

David walked out onto the veranda then and Frances quickly jumped up to offer her congratulations, nearly suffocating him in a hug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to separate this chapter because I wanted the conversation Julia has with Frances to stand alone. That conversation was actually written with help from a friend a long time ago, so I cannot take full credit for it. If you read this, thank you again! It was just too good not to use!
> 
> Also, the part that will include their actual wedding is long so I want that to stand alone as well. In total, the whole wedding sequence will probably be about 3 chapters including the honeymoon. I already have a good portion of it all written, up until they leave for their trip, but as of yet, inspiration hasn't struck for me to write that part out. So send good vibes and maybe it will happen!
> 
> Thank you to those of you that left comments last time! I really appreciate it! And thanks for reading!


	3. "I Carry Your Heart," (Wedding).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t think I would be posting this so soon, but here we are! It's here! The big chapter! I shouldn’t refer to this as the wedding chapter as it’s more things leading up to it and the ceremony itself is short. I tried fleshing it out as much as I could but I was trying to keep it them; I didn’t want to overdo it. Especially, since they’re already having a semi-conventional wedding.The majority of this was already written except for one of the flashbacks so I hope it fits in well with the rest of this.
> 
> While this chapter is more descriptive, it is still dialogue-heavy (which is just something I’m better at). I also decided to introduce David’s siblings. While there is no dialogue there, I might write something involving them in a later chapter. Ps. his dad is at the wedding. There just isn't a "scene" with him...yet.
> 
> A little family tree for clarity: Kenneth and Fiona (David’s parents), Kiera and Kenny (the eldest Budd Children, they are twins), Bridget, Michael, and then Aggie is the youngest who came after David.
> 
> Anyway, this chapter ends with a lovely moment with Ella and Charlie. I hope to have the honeymoon going soon! Enjoy!

_18 November_

On the morning of their wedding, Julia woke up with a start from an anxiety-induced dream. She rose from the bed carefully as not to disturb David, grabbing her robe, and walking over to the window.

As she tied the second knot around herself, she pushed back the curtains with one hand to find the windows were covered in frost.

She sighed.

They had been hoping the weather would cooperate, but as she looked up at the sky, she knew they weren’t going to be so lucky. She just hoped they could get through everything—the ceremony and reception—and send everyone home before the roads got too bad.

Julia sighed again as she closed the curtains, turning around, and stared at David.

He was laying on his back, an arm sprawled above his head. He looked so peaceful and content, she thought. And then her mind wandered to their conversation from the night before.

_David sat with his back against the headboard, Julia leaning into his side._

_“Are you ready for tomorrow?”_

_“Mm, yes, I think so.”_

_“You think so?”_

_“Of course, I am. It’s just...I’m actually a bit nervous.”_

_“Why?”_

_“The last time I did this, my wedding was a disaster and the marriage…well, that was a disaster, too.”_

_“I know,” He laced their fingers together. “But if it makes you feel better, my track record isn’t great either.”_

_Julia laughed, “You’re right.”_

_“Look, I know these types of things can be nerve-racking especially when we’re both going to be on display--even if it’s only for family and close friends--but I think everyone deserves a second chance. Everyone has more than one great love in their life.”_

_“I wouldn’t call Roger a great love…,”_

_“Maybe not. But it still applies. As cheesy as it sounds, fate brought us together.”_

_“Oh god, you sound like a teenager.” She was laughing again and David couldn’t help himself as he laughed too._

_“I said it was cheesy, but truly, I do believe we’re meant for each other. I didn’t ask you to marry me just because I knocked you up. I had plans to propose long before you told me.”_

_“You did?”_

_“Yeah. But you were busy working on your Women’s Health Bill. I wanted to wait until you weren’t stressed.”_

_“That shouldn’t have kept you from proposing.”_

_“I didn’t want you to start planning a wedding while you were still working such long hours at the office.”_

_“That’s very kind of you.” They were silent a moment, and then she spoke again, slightly changing the subject. “I overheard your aunt and Kiera talking this morning about Scottish weddings. I’m sorry ours won’t be like that.”_

_“It’s fine. I already did the whole traditional Scottish wedding. That’s not who we are.”_

_“I like tradition...well, some of it. My wedding to Roger was embellished with tradition...mostly from his side though. His mother controlled everything. I didn’t even have a say in the dress I wore.”_

_“Really? That’s a bit much...although, in Scottish tradition, the groom usually pays for the bride’s dress.”_

_She snuggled down further in the bed, “What are some other wedding traditions?”_

_David adjusted himself so that he was still holding her and he pulled the sheets up around them, “Well, during the ceremony, the bride and groom usually share a dram of whiskey...,”_

_“Unfortunately, we can’t do that on account of this one,” she laid their joined hands over her belly._

_“Aye, I think even if I were the only one to drink it, my sisters would figure out you’re pregnant in a heartbeat. At least, Kiera and Bridget would.”_

_Julia brushed a hand nervously through her hair, “Shit, maybe it’s good we won’t be doing that then.”_

_“That usually happens after the couple is legally married.”_

_“Well, we can make it our own tradition and wait until our first anniversary.”_

_“I like that idea.”_

There was a movement to the left of David that caught her eye and Julia snapped out of the memory.

She hadn’t even noticed at first, but it appeared sometime during the night, Charlie had crawled into their bed.

At the realization, she was grateful she’d been able to talk David out of a second round of fun. And she was even more grateful she had thought to put her silk pajamas back on before she fell asleep.

She had almost completely convinced him they couldn’t have sex that night, what with there being too many Budd’s and Montague’s all under one roof. However, the puppy dog eyes and the way he cocked his head had been too adorable to resist.

_He’d promised not to make her whimper, but at one point during their tryst, his finger had grazed her folds in just the right way, causing her hips to buck into him and the sound to escape her lips._

_He had quickly clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling any further noises that may come out, and looked down at her._

_“Ms. Montague, I thought we had an agreement that you wouldn’t make any noise?”_

_She pushed his hand away, “That was you, actually, promising not to do anything to make such noises come out of me.” She raised an eyebrow, challenging him._

_David smirked, “Touché.”_

_He dove down again, covering her mouth with his, as he removed his fingers and shoved his cock inside of her._

_Julia gave a muffled yelp at that. Staring him down, hard._

_Soon, he began thrusting into her with more speed and greater force until he fell against her, their bodies shaking as they came down._

_“Goodnight, Almost Mrs. Budd.”_

_“Goodnight, Almost Mr. Montague.”_

Yes, she was very grateful indeed. That was not a conversation she was ready to have. No, she would leave that to David.

She shook herself from the memory, sliding her slippers onto her feet, and proceeded downstairs for breakfast.

Her nose was greeted by the smell of bacon and sausage, beans, fresh toast and jams, eggs, porridge, coffee, and tea. A full English breakfast. Of course, Fiona would go to the trouble of making an extravagant meal.

Coming down the stairs, Julia was hit with a wave of nausea; the smell of eggs making her want to gag. Luckily, she hadn’t dealt with much morning sickness thus far, but eggs were usually the cause for her turning stomach. As such, she had forbidden David from including them with their breakfast until she said otherwise.

Upon entering the kitchen, she found Fiona cooking at the stove, and Ella seated at a small table in the corner that was meant for the children.

When Fiona heard her footsteps, she turned around, spatula in hand. “Good morning, dearie! How are you feeling?”

“Not well. The eggs...,” Julia trailed off in a low voice, fighting the urge to retch. A few fingers came up to her mouth as she swallowed, making sure to take slow, deep breaths. That usually helped stave off the vomiting until she found a bathroom.

Fiona walked over, placing a sympathetic hand on her arm. “I’m sorry. David should have told me.”

“It’s alright. I’ll be fine.” She rubbed a hand up and down her robe, desperately willing the nausea to go away.

“Well, it's going to be a long day,” Fiona began. “You need something to eat. Can I tempt you with some toast and porridge? It will help settle your stomach.”

Julia nodded, as she sat down at the bigger table, and a moment later, Fiona brought her a cup of tea, giving her a soft smile.

Ella had been reading a book as she ate her breakfast and when she finished, she pushed out her chair to take her dishes to the sink. It was then she realized someone else was in the room.

“Julia!”

She took a sip of her tea and smiled, greeting her. “Good morning, Ella! You’re up early!”

Ella moved to sit in one of the chairs beside her.

The little girl nodded, “I’m excited! This is the first wedding I’ve ever been a part of! I want to make sure I’ve had lots of practice before I walk down the aisle with Charlie this afternoon.”

Julia chuckled, “I think you mastered it perfectly last night.”

“I know!” She flashed a bright smile. Ella was ever the perfectionist; much like herself. “But this is a big day! It means a lot to you and Daddy! I don’t want to ruin anything!”

“That’s very kind of you, Ella.” She patted the girl’s hand, “But I can assure you, there will be no mistakes made on your end.”

Ella mumbled under her breath, “ _Charlie…,”_

“Will do just fine,” Julia tucked a hair behind her ear as Fiona brought over her breakfast. “Thank you.” She ate slowly, taking small bites. If she ate too quickly, she would certainly be ill.

Fiona gave her a brief nod, not saying anything as she moved now to the sink with Ella’s forgotten dishes, and continued to listen to the two of them chat. Her granddaughter was so animated as she spoke.

Something that endeared Fiona the most about Julia was the way she spoke to each of David’s children. She’d never talk down to them or talk to them as if they were inferior. She made them feel intelligent and like they could tell her anything. Fiona could see how much they loved her already.

They were soon joined by David and a bleary-eyed Charlie, who by the looks of it, had not slept well.

David walked him quietly to the table to sit by his sister, bending down to kiss her on the head and then moving to kiss Julia.

“Morning,” she addressed him when they broke apart. “Is he alright?”

He nodded, looking over at his son as he took a seat next to her. “He will be. Once he’s had breakfast. And some sugar.”

David took her hand as they shared a look and he instantly knew what she was silently saying. He gave her an empathetic smile.

Fiona brought a large plate of food for the boys to share and after a while, Julia excused herself to her room. Now that she had some food in her stomach, she was beginning to feel better. She just hoped it would last the entire day.

There was so much that needed to be done before the ceremony.

When she arrived upstairs, David’s sisters and Frances were waiting to help her get ready. Kiera did her hair while Bridget had done her makeup and finally, Aggie painted her nails. Her mother sat nearby as they all chatted amongst themselves; their laughter filling the air.

Ella joined them shortly, not wanting to miss a single moment. Her aunt Kiera curled her hair, pinning it in a delicate half-crown braid, and then she put on her dress, applying a thin coat of pink lip gloss.

Her grandmother came into the room, having quickly changed herself, and Ella stood beside her, watching Frances help Julia with the back of her dress.

As Frances finished the two last buttons, Fiona moved forward, holding an old crystal barrette in her hand.

“And now for the final touch…,”

She carefully fastened it in Julia’s hair, kissing her on the forehead when she pulled away.

“You look beautiful, darling!” Her mother said, fighting back the emotions that suddenly sprung upon her.

Julia looked at herself in the floor-length mirror, smoothing down the front of her dress with her hands. Thankfully, the merry widow she was wearing kept her belly from sticking out too much. To the naked it eye, it wasn’t noticeable under the ruffles of her dress and she sighed in relief. It wouldn’t be much longer until everyone knew.

It was early afternoon by the time David’s brothers escorted him to the church. He nervously waited in the rectory while their guests arrived, periodically checking his watch. Charlie came to sit beside him, straightening his tie and fixing his hair. They talked amongst themselves until Kenny told him it was time for the ceremony to begin.

After what felt like hours of waiting, David stood at the front of the church--internally pinching himself-- as he watched Julia walk towards him wearing a long-sleeved champagne-colored gown.

When she reached him, he noticed her brunette hair was loosely curled and swept to one side, held in place by the crystal barrette that had belonged to his late grandmother. He smiled reaching for her hands, and she returned the smile, her green eyes shimmering with happiness.

Ella stood facing them in a dress similar to Julia’s. She held two small bouquets of lilac and burgundy red roses that had a few sprigs of white heather Aggie had thrown in for good luck. She was wearing a smile that David was sure would crack her face. Charlie stood beside his sister, giddily watching the pair of adults. Kenny and Michael were standing on the other side of the altar. And Julia’s childhood friend, Camille, stood with Ella and Charlie

As the music came to an end, the Deacon’s voice pulled David from his thoughts.

They shared their vows and exchanged their rings; a gold band for David, a sapphire, and ruby ring for Julia.

And finally, to close the ceremony, Charlie read a poem he had picked out with the help of his uncles for the special occasion.

_A poem by E.E Cummings_

_I carry your heart, I carry it in my heart  
I am never without it, anywhere I go you go, my dear;  
and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling  
I fear no fate, for you are my fate, my sweet I want  
no world, for beautiful you are my world, my true  
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant  
and whatever a sun will always sing is you_

_Here is the deepest secret nobody knows  
here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;  
which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide  
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart  
I carry your heart, I carry it in my heart._

The entire church erupted into applause and Julia wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as Charlie came down to hug her. She was so proud of how much his reading had improved.

The deacon announced they were married, introducing them as the Montague-Budd’s before they shared a kiss and rushed down the aisle.

Once they were outside, David pulled her off to the side where a grove of tall trees stood apart from the church. Here they would have some privacy while their guests left the wedding to gather for a party at his parents’ home.

When he was sure they were alone, he stole another much deeper kiss as they stood behind the trees.

They were interrupted, however, by one Ella Budd.

“Wait, Dad, Julia! I want to take your picture!” She ran to catch up with them.

“El, what are you doing? You’re supposed to be on the way to the house with your uncles.”

Everyone had walked from the house to the church before the ceremony, all bundled up and squeezed tight for warmth as they walked the short distance there and back.

“I know, but I told Gran I wanted your picture before everyone else.”

Julia chuckled and her father sighed, “Alright, where do you want us to stand?”

“Just... right... _there,”_ she pointed to a bench that was covered in a thin layer of snow.

David swiped it clean, laying down his suit jacket. Julia sat, pulling her maroon trench coat tighter around herself, and then he sat beside her, drawing her close. A brief yelp erupted from her chest and she burst into giggles. He soon began laughing with her.

They turned to smile at Ella, but he couldn’t help himself and turned to look back at Julia—his wife. The Tory he’d begun protecting two years ago who had won his heart in more ways than one. The way her face lit up as she laughed made his heart soar. He felt himself getting emotional.

“Dad! Dad, look this way!”

Despite the shouts from his daughter, he kept his eyes trained on Julia.

Ella’s phone flashed and he kissed Julia's cheek, standing up with her.

“Alright,” he turned to his daughter, “you got your picture. Now come on, we’re going to be late!” He held out a hand that Ella took and together the three of them began their walk. David kept an arm around Julia’s waist, anchoring them together.

On their short journey, Julia took in the now bright sky and snow that had covered the ground during their ceremony. Mother Nature had suddenly changed her mind. She smiled, listening as Ella rambled on about something she and her cousins had planned for the party. And David was amusing her by trying to guess what it was.

When they reached the doorstep of the house, he stopped, tugging on Julia’s hand.

“Wait,” his eyes dashed to his daughter, “Ella, go inside, please. See if Gran needs any help.”

“Okay!” The twelve-year-old quickly ran inside, oblivious to what the adults might need to discuss.

Julia turned toward him, “What is it? Your mother and aunt are going to scrutinize us enough as it is for being late to our reception. We cannot make them wait any longer.”

“I know,” he said nodding. “But I just want to make sure...we are telling everyone tonight, right?” He asked, his gaze traveling lower to her belly where he tenderly ran his thumb over the fabric of her dress.

She nodded, “Yes, once everyone has left and it’s just us with our family. I’m not quite sure I can handle all the fawning from strangers over our marriage and news of a baby in one day.”

“Aye, you’re right,” he laughed. “No one will leave you alone all evening.” His thumb still ran over her dress, “Is it okay if we tell the kids separately though? I want it to be special for them.”

“Of course,” she pecked his lips. “Now come on,” she said, turning to lead him through the door, “We’re hungry.”

“Oh, I’m hungry all right,” he said behind her as he pinched her ass.

Julia shrieked glaring over her shoulder. “Later. We were nearly caught last night.”

“ _Fine,”_ he groaned, as he followed her through the door.

_Later that night_

After everyone had gone and after they had gathered their families together, David called up to the kids where they had been playing with their cousins.

“Ella, Charlie! Can you come down here please?”

“I didn’t do it. It was Ella...she...,” Charlie tumbled down the stairs first, still in his suit from the wedding.

His sister followed him closely, removing the pins from her hair. It had been hours since it was pinned in place, and the pins had begun poking into her head sharply. Once, she realized all of the guests were gone, however, she had changed out of her dress and into more comfortable clothes.

“You’re not in trouble. Julia and I just have something to tell you.”

“Oh…,” Charlie stood in front of his father, his eyes going wide. “Are we going to Disney World?”

“No.” David shook his head, chuckling.

“Aww, man.”

“We’re not going anywhere...but...we do have an early Christmas gift for you.”

“Oh, heck yes!”

“Sit over there, please.” David pointed to the couch.

“Is it a puppy?”

“No, Charlie.”

“Then why do we have to sit?” Ella asked, frowning.

“Because it will be easier this way.” He let out a frustrated sigh, “Just sit, please.” David was getting more anxious by the minute.

“Okay.”

He eagerly watched them get situated on the couch as Julia sat in a chair across from them. When they were all settled, David sat on the armrest by his wife, taking her hand.

“How should we start?” Julia asked unsurely, looking between both of the children and then at her husband.

“Today was a big day…,”

“It was…,” she agreed.

“A long day…,” David continued, but he was interrupted by his daughter.

“We know, dad. We were there.”

He blinked at Ella, caught a bit off guard by her response. “Aye, I know you were. No need for the sass.”

“Sorry.” She looked down and sat back further into the cushions, squaring her shoulders and listening carefully.

“It’s just...we have some news. We’ve been waiting to tell you because we thought it would be fun to wait until now. But...I think you guys are going to be excited. Particularly you, Ella.”

“Wait, why will Ella be more excited? Her birthday isn’t until March.”

David sighed, “I said you’ll both be excited. I just know this is something Ella has wanted a lot longer than you.”

His daughter was silent, eyeing him closely.

Charlie began bouncing lightly on the couch, his excitement getting the best of him even though he had no idea the news they were about to share.

“You see...Julia is...well…,” David looked at her for guidance.

She smiled, squeezing his hand, “I’m going to have a baby!”

Nothing…

...and then, “Really?!” Charlie was the first to jump up from the couch, his face beaming.

Julia nodded, as she began laughing, “Yeah!” His joy was contagious.

He squealed, running over to hug her and then his father. “I can’t wait!”

“El?”

The young girl sat silently on the couch, looking down at her hands again, playing with some of the bobby pins she had removed from her hair.

“You’re going to have a baby?” She finally asked, looking up. There were tears in her eyes.

Alarmed by this reaction, David quickly stood, moving to sit with her and put an arm around her shoulders.

“What’s wrong, El? I thought you’d be happy.”

“I am.”

“Sweetheart, well then why…,”

She cut him off, “These are happy tears! I’ve been wanting another sibling for forever and...,” she looked over at Julia, giving her a watery smile. “Thank you!”

“Oh, Ella,” Julia went to the couch, embracing her in a hug.

“I’m so happy for you! I love you both so much!”

Julia kissed the girl’s cheek, her voice catching a bit in her throat. “We love you, too. Very much!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A final note: The picture Ella takes is loosely based on the BTS photo of Keeley and Richard from the Red Nose Day skit. At the time it was posted, a couple of my friends and I said it looked like a picture Ella would take at their wedding. Thus, this scene was created.


	4. "Ciao, Italia!”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David has a surprise honeymoon in store for Julia.

Three days after their wedding, David was waiting for her in their living room when he heard it across their flat. A curse word, and then another, before the slam of a drawer. 

He looked at his phone and sighed. Running a hand down his face, he mentally prepared himself for the wrath he was likely to face. He knew if he rushed his wife, that would only exacerbate her more, but it was getting late.

He entered their room stealthily, taking in the scene before him. There were different pairs of slacks strewn about the floor, and he bit back a chuckle that threatened to betray him.

David turned, hearing her murmur another curse word, to find Julia standing at the entrance of her closet. She was wearing a black lace bra, and a pair of houndstooth dress pants hung loosely from her hips, the waist unbuttoned. She looked highly annoyed. 

Julia had been packing, or so he thought.

“None of these bloody fit!” She whined. 

This time, the laugh managed to escape, and she quickly turned at the sound, her eyes narrowing.

“What’s funny?”

“Nothing.” He shook his head, biting his lip to refrain from laughing again. 

“I don’t know why you find this so amusing.” Julia turned back towards her closet, shuffling a few hangers, and then taking out a pair of trousers she had yet to try on.

David watched as she slid the pair on and then heard her grumble, _oh, for fuck’s sake_ , as she tried the button, before angrily taking them off and throwing them on the floor to join the others.

“Julia...love…”

“Don’t ‘love’ me, David. I am not your biggest fan right now.”

He frowned, “What did I do?”

Julia turned to the side, looking up at him agitated. She scoffed, pointing at her belly, “You did _this_ to me!” 

David moved toward her slowly, “If I recall correctly, you never objected. In fact, you were **quite** enthusiastic during the whole process. It’s your fault, too.”

She whirled to face him again, pointing her finger to the door. “Get out!”

He held his hands up in defense, “I was only teasing you, love…”

“Out!”

He looked at the time on his phone, “The car will be here in a few minutes. Are you finished packing? We can’t be late to the airport.”

“Yes, don’t rush me,” she said.

David heard her grunt in frustration as he exited the room. Moving back to the living room, he idly checked his phone every so often while he waited for her.

A few minutes later, a car horn honked, followed by a knock on the door.

“Julia! The car’s here.”

“I’ll be right there!”

After a moment, she joined him, and he greeted her with a smile, holding her coat in his hands. The look on her face, however, told him she was not amused.

“Don’t...say ... _a word_.” 

She was wearing a skirt. David had never seen her wear a skirt before, much less even knew that she owned one. 

Helping her into her coat, he said, “I wasn’t going to.”

He followed behind her out the door and tentatively placed a hand on the small of her back. He was surprised when she didn’t flinch. Usually, when she was in this kind of mood, she hated being touched.

_This should be interesting._

“I hate this bloody thing,” Julia said, adjusting her skirt after she had slid into the backseat of the car. “The last time I wore a skirt, I was a barrister. I haven’t worn one in years. Honestly, I’m surprised it still fits.”

“I’m sorry, love,” he sat beside her, reaching for her hand. “Maybe when we get there, we can buy you some new clothes.”

“I suppose. We’ll need to be discreet, though. Our statement isn’t supposed to go out until we’re back.”

“I know, don’t worry about it. I’ll figure out a way to make sure we’re not followed.”

“Are we stupid not to have brought my whole security team with us?”

“Maybe.”

“That’s not helpful…,”

“Look, we have Kim and Jeremy. You know they will do whatever it takes to make sure you’re safe. Especially in another country.”

“You’re right. Well, once we get settled, I’d like to get a few things. Maybe some dresses that fit loosely? I’ll have to avoid maternity clothes, though,” she pointed out. “That would certainly raise eyebrows.”

“You could always wear something of mine. Like those jeans you like because they’re tight on my ass.”

“Fuck off!” Julia laughed, “If they are tight on your ass, they’ll be tight on me! You can’t be serious?!?”

He smirked, “No, but I made you laugh, didn’t I?”

“Yes.” She laughed again as she looked down, patting her belly. “You like making things difficult for Mummy, don’t you?”

David smiled as he watched her. When he had first met her, he had never imagined Julia as a mother. But seeing her now, the way she was caressing her stomach despite her frustration earlier that morning, made him incredibly giddy. 

Squeezing her hand, he couldn’t wait to see how she embraced her pregnancy in the months to come.

_On the jet_

As a wedding gift, David’s siblings had all pitched in and rented a private jet for their travels, knowing they would both be more at ease flying on their own. Plus, they knew it would be too much of a hassle for them to fly with a security team on a large plane. Even if they only had two other people in tow. 

As such, Kim and Jeremy occupied two seats in the back of the jet, far enough away that the newlyweds could have some privacy. 

David and Julia sat in chairs at the front, close together so that they were touching.

He had managed to keep their destination a secret, but as they settled and prepared to take off, he could tell her patience was starting to wear thin.

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?” Her eyes were shimmering, and he felt himself swallow hard. 

He wanted to take her, right then and there. Have his way with her. On the jet, in front of her bodyguards. But he resisted the urge as he chuckled and answered her question.

“Why would I do that? It’s a surprise.”

Julia rolled her eyes, “We both know you’re terrible at keeping secrets. You’re quite like a child when it comes to you keeping something from me, so you might as well just come out and say it.”

“Well, Mrs. Budd, if you insist?”

She nodded, smiling at how easy it was to get him to give in. “I do, Mr. Montague.”

“Alright, we’re going--,” he attempted to let the anticipation linger between them, but she cut him off. 

“Oh, nevermind, I know where we’re going!”

“You what?”

She smiled proudly, “We’re going to Italy!”

“ _Julia_ \--,” He whined; he didn't even want her to know until they got there. He couldn't think how she would have found out.

“I found the confirmation email from the airline open on your laptop the other day.” 

_Shit._

“You really shouldn’t leave that unattended. One of these days, the children could find something naughty,” she teased. 

David smirked, “Aye. Well, maybe I did it on purpose.”

She scoffed, “Oh, so you were testing me?”

“Mhm, yes.” He watched her a bit longer, seeing how happy she was, and then, “So what do you think?”

“You know I’ve wanted to go back to Italy for years, but it’s never worked out with my schedule.”

David raised his eyebrows, “I’ve been working on this for a while.” 

“I can’t believe you pulled all this off. We planned a wedding in just a few weeks, and now you've planned a trip to Italy?!”

“I was trying to work it out to where you wouldn’t be too far along and could still wear that black bikini I bought you.”

“So you had a motive? I see,” Julia teased, challenging him.

“I may have an agenda.”

She laughed, “Yes, that’s quite clear.” 

Julia had never imagined that she would become such a sentimental person, but David Budd had strolled into her life, and in the time she had known him, they had shared many profound and intimate moments. Before she knew it, she had fallen madly in love with the man. For who he was and for how wonderfully he had opened up to her after wanting to shield her from his demons. She had stayed. And she had helped him heal. They had experienced trauma together, and their love and trust for one another only grew stronger through it all. Julia had never felt more secure in a relationship in her life.

Shaking her head, she said, “I think I’ll have to wear a one-piece now. We need to hide it just a little longer.”

“Well, maybe we won’t go down to the beach, and then I can keep it off you.” 

“It’s actually quite cold this time of year, so no beaches for us, I think.” She leaned over to kiss him, grasping his hand tightly as their jet began to take off.

_Arrival in Castiglione della Pescaia_

Three hours later, they arrived in Italy and were quickly ushered into a taxi where they were driven to their bed and breakfast. Kim and Jeremy followed in a cab behind them.

When they had settled their things, Julia convinced them to walk around the area, taking in the local sights.

They wandered for a bit, going into a few shops and churches, and before they knew it, the sun was setting.

Soon, their stomachs were rumbling, and Jeremy pointed out a small restaurant. They ate their meal in the family-owned business, David teasing Julia about not being able to have wine while in Italy, and she threatened to send him back to England on his own if he kept it up. The four of them shared two tiramisus, and then they left, heading back towards their bed and breakfast.

On the way, Julia pulled David into a small shop, spotting Christmas decorations in the window. The shop would be closing soon, so Kim and Jeremy waited outside as the couple explored it.

“It’s nice to see her so relaxed.”

“Mm, it is,” Kim agreed. “It’s too bad they can’t stay longer. There’s so much they can do here. Especially this time of year. There’s no one around.”

“I know. Mr. Budd showed me his original itinerary. I had to knock a few things off for him because there just isn't enough time.”

“Well, maybe they can come back one day,” Kim stated as she saw them exiting the shop. 

As they climbed the stairs to their room, David and Julia told her bodyguard’s goodnight, the pair of them going their separate ways.

They woke up early the next morning, having breakfast in their room before they went out for the day. The first thing they were going to do was go to the shops to buy clothes for Julia. Then David had a whole day planned out for them.

Leaving the final shop, Kim rushed Julia’s bags back to the hotel and then met them at a Bistro for coffee.

_A few days later_

It was rare, but on this particular morning, Julia was the one waiting on David.

“Come on. How is it that I’m ready before you?”

“Well, someone tossed and turned all night long, so I didn’t get much sleep,” he said as he walked over to sit on the edge of the bed to put his shoes on.

Julia came to stand in front of him, “I’m sorry. I had horrible leg cramps. I nearly moved to the other bed, but I was too tired to get up.” She rubbed his back when he sat up after tying his shoelaces. 

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I didn't want to disturb you and I've read it's normal. Just one of the many joys that come with being pregnant. And eventually, they went away."

He nodded, "Alright, but next time tell me. I don't like the idea of you being uncomfortable."

“Maybe we can take a nap later today?”

“Julia, didn’t I tell you? We’re going to be gone for the night?”

“Oh, that’s today. I completely forgot.” She brushed her fingers through his hair, smoothing down a cowlick. “Remind me where we’re going?”

“We’re going to Giarole Castle. The current Count, who owns it, lets people stay overnight. I thought it’d be fun. It’s supposedly haunted!” He said, his eyes wide. A mischievous grin was on his face.

Julia rolled her eyes, “Of course, you would be interested in that! You’re lucky I like to visit old castles.”

“Aye, that’s why I picked this one. It’s been in the family for nine centuries. I knew there would be things we’d both enjoy.”

She shook her head, holding out a hand to him. “Alright, well, let’s go. I’m sure Jeremy and Kim are downstairs waiting for us.”

When they arrived at the castle two hours later, they were greeted by a tall, dark-haired man.

“Ciao, Buon Giorno!” He said, holding out his arms and stepping forward to shake their hands. “I am Count Giuseppe* Sannazzaro, and this...,” he gestured to a plump woman with brown hair and blue eyes. “...is my wife, Chiara. Welcome to Castello Sannazzaro di Giarole!”

“Thank you,” David said as he shook the Count’s hand. “We’re excited to be here!”

“Ah, meraviglioso!” He turned to his wife, waiting as she kissed both of Julia’s cheeks in greeting, and then he placed a hand on her back, leading her inside. “Come, come! Let us go in and have some champagne!”

“Oh,” Julia began, stopping the couple in their tracks. They turned to look at her. “I can’t have champagne,” she said, running a hand over her belly.

“Oh, Cara Mia,” Chiara exclaimed, “how wonderful for you! Do not worry; we have other provisions!” She ran over to Julia in excitement and looped an arm through hers. “We can have tea instead!”

“Thank you,” Julia said, shaking her head. “But you don’t need to go to all that trouble just for me.”

“No, no, it is no trouble at all. We do this for all our guests!”

As they were led into the entrance of the castle, they were met by servants with trays of glasses and teacups and all kinds of delectable delights.

Taking a sip of his champagne, David asked, “Is it true this place is haunted?”

“Yes, Giuseppe started, “there was a man here, a painter, in the 1850s who was working on a fresco in the vault. Sadly, he fell from the ladder and died. And ever since, he has roamed the corridors.”

“He likes to turn on lights all over the castle,” Chiara chimed in, “and you can often spot him lurking in the watchtower.”

“How fascinating,” Jeremy piped up from behind.

They all shared a laugh before they continued their tour. Giuseppe and Chiara led them out the internal courtyard taking them to the church that resided on the grounds.

“This is the Church of San Giacomo. It was built in the 14th century and houses paintings and frescoes from the 16th century.” Count Sannazzaro said, his hands in his pockets as he observed their four guests looking around.

Chiara walked to the front of the church, stopping in front of the altar. “We were married here. We’ve thought about opening it up for guests to have weddings, but there are so many repairs that need to be completed. Unfortunately, we don’t have the money,” she finished sadly.

Julia looked up at the ceiling, admiring all of the frescoes. “It would be so beautiful for weddings, but I understand your misgivings.”

“For now, we let family use it. Though occasionally it is available to the public to attend Mass.” 

Shortly, they moved back inside the castle and were escorted into a baroque music room that was filled with antiques and family heirlooms.

When their tour was over, Giuseppe and Chiara left them to retire to their rooms for the afternoon, promising to join them for dinner in the Great Hall.

David flopped on the bed, exhausted, “My feet hurt.”

“We didn’t walk that much,” Julia said, chuckling a bit as she took out an earring. “If anyone should be exhausted, it should be me.”

“Yes, but I didn’t sleep last night.”

“Well, I didn’t -- let’s not argue about who's had the least amount of sleep. It’s still early. We can get a nap in before dinner.”

“Aye, that sounds like a good idea.” He held a hand out to her, and she slowly walked over to him, taking it as she sat on the edge of the bed.

“Let me change first,” she bent down to kiss him. “Then, I’ll join you.”

“Don’t be too long,” he said as he watched her move to the loo.

A few minutes later, David felt the other side of the bed dip, and he rolled over, pulling her to his side.

With her back to him, Julia felt his arms circle around her waist. Lately, it had been a source of comfort for him to lay his hands on her belly. He’d become protective in the last few days. Which she assumed had to do with them being in another country and with little security.

“The lace room was my favorite,” she whispered and looked over her shoulder slightly when she got no response. David was out cold. 

She turned onto her side fully and kissed him, rubbing her thumb along his jaw. Maybe he _had_ gotten less sleep than she had.

With that thought, Julia rolled back over and placed her hand on top of his.

As they prepared to return to their bed and breakfast the next day, Chiara and Giuseppe led them into the garden where a car was waiting for them.

“If you ever find yourself in Italy again, you are welcome to stay here. In fact, you have an open invitation,” Giuseppe said as he shook David’s hand. “Just let us know, and we will have a room available for you.”

“Of course, thank you very much!”

He assisted Julia to the car after telling Chiara goodbye, and then he slid in next to her, leaning his head back against the seat.

“They’re a lovely couple. This visit was wonderful, and I’m glad we came here! I enjoyed it!”

“Good,” he said, taking her hand. “Just two more days in Italy, and then we go home.”

She nodded, “I wish we could stay longer, but I admit, I’ll be glad to be back home in our bed.”

“Aye, that’s for sure.”

“And we’ve got to get ready for Christmas.”

“Yes, we do. Would you like to decorate once we get back?”

“Maybe not right away, but we can soon.”

David nodded, “I’m not sure what your mother has in mind for Christmas, but I’d like to invite my parents. If that’s okay with you?”

“Yes, of course. And please extend the invitation to your siblings as well.”

“Are you sure you want _all_ of the Budds to come?”

“Well, truthfully, I’m hoping some of them have plans, but I still want them to know the invitation is there.”

He took her hand, “I hope you don’t feel obligated to have a big celebration now that we’re married. My parents expect all of us to do our own thing these days.”

Julia squeezed his hand in return, “I don’t. I’m just thinking since next Christmas we’ll have a baby, we won’t want to do anything at all.”

“Aye, just the two of us, then?”

“Three,” she corrected.

“Three.” He smiled. He already liked the thought of their little family celebrating the holidays with only a few people.

“And Ella and Charlie, of course,” Julia added.

“Yes.”

“They are coming this year, right?”

“I get them on Christmas Eve this year since last year they were on that skiing trip with Vicky.”

“Good,” she said as she yawned, a hand coming up to cover her mouth. 

Eventually, they pulled in front of the B and B, and after saying goodnight to Jeremy and Kim, they went to their room.

David ordered them food, and once delivered, they sat in silence, both too exhausted for any more conversation. They would be leaving first thing in the morning and would have a few hours on the flight home to entertain themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just an FYI, they spent a week in Castiglione, which probably wasn't clear, but I didn't think I'd be able to write a week's worth of adventures.
> 
> *This is a real family that owns the castle. However, I could not find any information on the current owners, so the first names are made up for this story. Everything else mentioned about the castle is true, and yes, you can book an overnight stay while you're there.


	5. "A Very Budd Christmas!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Christmastime with the Budds!

_Christmas Day_

Charlie stood at the frost-covered windows, watching as he waited for their guests to arrive.

They had decided to invite the entire family this year since they were planning on their next Christmas being small. 

Frances and David’s parents had arrived a few days before to help get everything ready, with tinsel and garland adorning each room. There was fake snow that covered every surface, and smaller trees were placed throughout the house. It had taken Kenneth and David two hours to set up the big tree, with all three women coming in periodically to give their opinions on how they should decorate it. Finally, the men relented, letting Fiona and Frances take over as Julia decided to let them have their fun, as long as they didn’t go overboard. 

When they had finished, the flat looked like a Christmas department store, but truthfully, Julia didn’t mind.

David stood in the living room now, adding one final decoration to the tree as Julia was in her study, wrapping gifts. They had done most of the wrapping earlier in the week, but with David’s siblings and their children coming, there were more than just a few gifts that still needed to be wrapped.

Fiona was preparing their meal in the kitchen, as Frances was in the dining room setting out the cutlery while Kenneth had left to gather firewood.

As for Ella, well, David didn’t know where she was. But if she wasn’t in the kitchen with her grandmother, then perhaps she was with Julia.

The doorbell rang, and he went to answer it, opening the door to find Aggie and her girlfriend standing in the corridor.

“Aggie, Samantha, come in!”

“Where’s Julia?” Aggie said, taking off her coat and handing it to him. The redhead immediately went to look for his wife.

“Hello, to you, too,” David said as he hung up her coat, but his sister was long gone. He turned to greet the other woman, kissing both of her cheeks. “Happy Christmas, Samantha!”

“Happy Christmas, David," she said, taking off her coat and chuckling. "Sorry, she’s been eager to talk to Julia all day.”

“Why?” He asked, leading her into the living room where Frances joined them.

Samantha shrugged as she sat, “I’m not sure. She’s been very quiet about whatever they need to discuss.”

“Typical, Aggie,” David said, shaking his head. “Frances, you remember Samantha?”

“Oh, yes,” Julia's mother stepped forward to kiss her. “It’s lovely to see you again!”

The blonde stood to say hello, “It’s lovely to see you, too.”

“So where’s Aggie? I haven’t seen her yet.”

“Looking for your daughter,” Samantha answered as she sat down again.

David had gone to the kitchen, where he found Ella making cookies, and returned with two glasses of champagne. He gave one to Frances.

“Yes, they’ve become quite close.” She laughed, taking the glass from him. “Thank you.” 

“Sometimes, I think they’re conspiring against me,” David said as he offered the other glass to Samantha.

Just then, the two of them walked into the room together, laughing.

“Aggie,” Frances said, standing from her chair and walking over to kiss David’s sister.

“Frances, it’s good to see you!”

“It’s good to see you too, dear!” They embraced in a hug, and then Aggie went to sit beside her girlfriend, stealing her glass and taking a sip of champagne.

Fiona briefly came out of the kitchen to say hello and then went back, Samantha following to help.

Eventually, Kenneth returned, ordering Charlie to hold open the door as he went to the car to retrieve more wood. Ella popped her head out of the kitchen momentarily to say hello to her aunt, and then she was gone, off to finish decorating her cookies.

One by one, David’s siblings and their families started arriving, and soon, they were all seated around the dining table enjoying their meal.

When they finished, everyone moved into various rooms to mingle, David stating that they would be opening presents shortly.

Bridget walked up to Julia, embracing her in a hug. They hadn’t had the chance to speak much before they ate.

“You look wonderful,” the dark-haired woman said, stepping back so she could look at her sister-in-law.

“Thank you,“ Julia said as she folded her hands together under her bump. At 20 weeks, it was just starting to become more prominent. 

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” she turned her head to see David walking toward them. “A little more tired than usual, but it’s nothing I’m not used to.”

Bridget nodded; she knew how busy Julia’s schedule was. 

“Has my baby brother been taking care of you,” she asked, wrapping both of her arms around David’s waist in a hug as he came to her side.

“He has,” Julia answered.

Bridget laughed, “Good! Of course, being your bodyguard, he’s had a lot of practice. I just hope he’s not _too_ overprotective.”

Julia glanced at her husband, “Oh, he is.” And then she laughed, too, “But I don’t mind.”

David put a hand to his chest in mock offense, “It’s just part of who I am.”

His sister rolled her eyes, “Believe me, I know. It’s a good thing your wife loves you so much.”

“Aye,” he smiled, “It is.”

The three of them chatted amongst themselves for a few more minutes, and then there were children jumping at David’s feet, begging to open gifts.

“Alright, alright. Gather everyone together, please.” He ran off to their bedroom as the children started ushering the family into the living room. 

“This is your first Christmas with all of us,” Bridget said to Julia as they followed behind the children. “You haven’t seen how chaotic things can get.”

Julia chuckled, “No, but Aggie warned me earlier.”

They sat on the couch with some of their nieces coming to sit at their feet, Ella squeezing herself in between Julia and her aunt. Frances and Fiona occupied two chairs across from them as everyone else took their seats about the room.

David returned wearing a Santa hat. 

“Alright, who wants to be my elf this year?”

A few small hands quickly shot up, and David looked around, trying to prolong his game.

“Charlie,” he said as he chose one of the children. 

His son came to stand beside him at the tree, and he presented him with an elf hat, chuckling as it slid over Charlie’s eyes a bit.

When everyone was settled, David instructed Charlie to grab a present from under the tree.

“Here we go, the first Christmas gift of 2020 goes to...,” he looked at the tag, reading out the name enthusiastically, “Granny Fiona!”

“Yay,” all the children cheered as Charlie took the gift to his grandmother.

For the next hour, Santa and his elf distributed presents amongst the family, and every so often set aside the ones meant for themselves.

Voices of the Budds boomed around her, echoing throughout their flat, and Julia found she was enjoying this more than she thought.

The Budds were a loud and rowdy bunch, especially with nine grandchildren all between the ages of five and sixteen, but as she watched them excitedly, Julia felt she was where she belonged.

Finally, they had given out the last present, and then David came to sit beside her as Bridget had gotten up to deal with one of her children.

“Ugh,” he grumbled as he sat, placing his head back against the couch. “I’m exhausted.”

Julia chuckled, “You poor thing!” She leaned over to kiss his cheek and rested a hand on his thigh.

He nodded, “Playing Santa always wears me out!”

“At least you didn’t have to travel around the world in one night,” she teased.

David took her hand, kissing it, “Thank goodness! I don’t know how the old man does it!”

Julia laughed, rolling her eyes. Falling silent, she leaned her head back against the couch, too. 

“Have you had a good Christmas,” he asked.

“Yes,” she nodded, “I have. But I’ll be happy when they’re all gone.”

“It won’t be much longer. Usually, after gifts, we’ll have hot chocolate and drive around looking at Christmas lights. But,” he said, as he saw some of the younger kids asleep in various places in the room, “I don’t think that will be happening this year.”

“Well, there’s always next year.”

“Aye, but I thought you wanted it just to be the three of us?”

“I do, but maybe it’s something we can do in the future.”

David nodded, “I’ll add it to our list of traditions.”

It was close to midnight before everyone had left, Aggie and Samantha offering to come help clean in the morning. Their parents had gone to a hotel for the night, not wanting to impose further. And the children were tucked in bed.

Julia exited their bedroom, dressed in the winter pajamas his parents had given her, tying her robe around her waist.

David had changed into his pajamas as she washed the makeup from her face, and then he rushed off to their living room as he waited for her. 

He had created a pallet for them to sit on in front of the fire. 

As Julia made herself comfortable, David walked over to her with two mugs of hot cocoa.

“I thought we could enjoy this since we didn’t get to earlier,” he said, sitting down.

She took a mug, thanking him, and sat with her back against the hearth for support. Her body was aching with exhaustion.

He sipped his drink, “Well, you survived your first Budd Christmas. How do you feel?”

“Tired. Warm. Happy.” Julia smiled as David scooted closer to her and she laid her head on his shoulder.

“Are you,” he began to ask, “happy?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “This has been one of the best Christmases I’ve had!”

“I’m glad to hear that!” David’s hand was on her belly now, feeling around. “And how is this little one? Any activity?”

“A bit when we were first opening presents,” Julia placed her hand over his. “There were some flutters, but I haven’t felt anything for a while.”

“I can’t wait until I can feel!”

“Soon, hopefully.”

They sat silently, staring at the Christmas tree and drinking their cocoa, as the fire warmed their backs.

Suddenly, David spoke, “We never had our first dance.” 

Julia raised an eyebrow, “No, but we said we wanted a small party without all the fuss.”

“I know, but I would have liked to have shown off my dancing skills.”

She snorted, “Oh, I’m sure you would.” 

“Well, I can show you at least.”

“Now?”

“Yes, now. Come on,” David placed their mugs on the hearth and hopped up from the pallet, holding out a hand. “Let’s dance.”

“There’s no music.” Julia carefully stood as she took his hand and then grabbed his arm for balance.

“Alexa, play The Christmas Waltz.”

He led her to the middle of the floor as the notes of the song started playing, “Now there is.”

She shook her head in disbelief before speaking again. “It’s going to be difficult, you know. With this one in between us.”

“What do you mean? You’re not big. I can still hold you close, love.” 

He angled them into position, grabbing one of her hands and tenderly holding it against his chest as they began to dance.

 _Frosted windowpanes, candles gleaming inside  
Painted candy canes on the tree  
Santa’s on his way; he’s filled his sleigh  
With things, things for you and for me_  


“Frank Sinatra,” Julia stated as she recognized the voice coming from the speaker. “Good choice.”

 _It’s that time of year when the world falls in love  
Every song you hear seems to say  
Merry Christmas, may your New Year’s dreams come true  
And this song of mine, in three-quarter time  
Wishes you and yours the same thing, too._

“This is nice,” David said as they swayed slowly.

“Mm,” she hummed quietly in agreement, her head resting on his shoulder again.

“We should do this more often.”

Julia looked up, “We’re going to have a newborn soon. We won’t have any time to ourselves.”

“We’ll have to make time then, won’t we?”

“You say that now but when you’re grumpy from waking up at 3 am to change nappies, you’ll think differently.”

They danced silently during the musical break, and then Frank’s voice was crooning again. 

_It’s that time of year when the world falls in love  
Every song you hear seems to say  
Merry Christmas, may your New Year dreams come true  
And this song of mine, in three-quarter time  
Wishes you and yours the same thing, too._

As the song came to an end, David twirled her out and then spun her back into his arms, kissing her as the final note played.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” he started, leading her back to their pallet in front of the fire. “There’s one more gift for you.”

“David, you’ve given me enough already.” 

They had exchanged their presents to each other earlier that morning. 

He went to the tree, grabbing a small box as she sat down. “This isn’t from me.” 

Taking it, she looked at him quizzically. She opened the box, discarding the wrapping paper beside her, and pulled out a silver bell-shaped ornament. 

Julia sucked in a breath. “Where did you get this?”

“Your mum gave it to me,” he knelt next to her.

“What? When?”

“Just a while ago when Aggie and Samantha had you sequestered in the corner before they left. Your mum was sitting by herself, so I went to talk to her.” He shrugged, “She gave me that.”

“It was my first ornament as a little girl.”

David nodded, “She said she wants the baby to have it.”

“But...why didn’t she give it to me?”

“She thought it would be too difficult.”

_“Frances, are you alright?” He asked, walking up to her chair._

_The older woman jumped at his voice, “Hmm? Oh, yes, sorry. I was watching her, lost in thought.”_

_David turned to follow her gaze, “They’ll keep her cornered for the rest of the night if she lets them.”_

_“She's happy. I’m glad your family has embraced her so lovingly.”_

_He nodded, “Aye, she’s easy to love.”_

_“I’m not sure she ever wanted any siblings.” Frances turned to face him again, “She never asked, though I would have happily given her some. But I know she and Aggie have grown close.”_

_“They have. Although I don’t know why she likes my little sister so much.”_

_His mother-in-law chuckled, “Because Aggie knows her mind. I think Julia sees a lot of herself in her.”_

_“Maybe,” he sighed. “Bridget and Kiera love her too, of course. But it’s hard when they can’t come to visit as often as they’d like.”_

_Frances nodded in understanding. “I've just remembered I have something for you. Well, it’s for the baby to have one day. But seeing as my grandchild isn’t arriving for a few more months, I want you to give this to Julia.”_

_“What is it?”_

_“It’s a bell ornament. We gave it to her when she was seven years old. She had seen it in a shop once on an outing with her father, and she begged for it. I’m not sure why she was so fond of it. But for whatever reason, he wouldn’t buy it. She cried and cried when they came home. Later, I confronted Richard and forced him to buy it to give to her for Christmas. I’ll never forget the look on her face when she opened it.”_

_David smirked, thinking about his wife when she was a young girl._

_“Then...don’t you want to give it to her? To see if you get that reaction again?”_

_“Oh no, I’d be far too emotional. And as you know, we Montague women don’t like to show emotion.” Her eyes were already tearing up at the thought._

_“Aye, is there anything you want me to say?”_

_Frances shook her head, shrugging a bit. “Just that I’ve had it safely stored since she went off to University. I always dreamed one day she’d have someone of her own to give it to, but as time slipped away, that dream faded. So now that she’s having a child, I want her to have it. Maybe it can be something she starts for the baby? A collection of Christmas ornaments.”_

Julia held the ornament string between her fingers, letting the bell dangle in front of her as she silently stared at it. She couldn’t believe her mother had kept it all these years. But as her eyes welled and she thought of her baby growing up and having something that was once hers, she couldn’t have been more grateful. 

“Love, you okay?”

She nodded, wiping the corner of her eye with a finger. “You’ll hate me for saying this, but I take back what I said earlier. This is the best gift I’ve been given today.”

David laughed a bit, leaning forward to kiss her, “I can’t argue with that. It means a lot to you.”

“I think that sounds like a good idea, don’t you? We can give the baby multiple gifts, but this will be something special they receive every year. A new ornament to go on the tree.”

“Aye, it sounds like a great idea, love.” He leaned over, his hand on her belly again as he started rubbing gently. An image of their child opening gifts came to mind, and David found it was an exciting one.

Music continued to play quietly in the background as they finished their cocoa and dreamt of Christmases to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will I ever not have a note at the end of these chapters? Lol. This was one of the only chapters that weren't pre-written, but the next one's coming up have been. Therefore, starting in the New Year, I'm going to try posting chapters more regularly.
> 
> Do enjoy, and Happy Holidays to those of you that celebrate!  
> ~LitS


	6. "Magic Touch."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy/Angsty chapter in which David feels the baby for the first time and pampers Julia after a rough couple of days at work. Later, they have a serious discussion. Followed by more fluff at the end!

The alarm on David’s phone started blaring, and his arm lazily went up to shut it off. With his eyes still closed, he rolled over and reached across the bed where cold sheets met his hand.

He popped one eye open to find that Julia’s side was empty.

“It’s 6:15. If you don’t get up now, we’re going to be late.”

He turned at the sound of her voice to see her standing in front of her vanity, wearing a skirt that was halfway zipped. He watched as she finished the last two buttons remaining on her blouse, tucking it in, and then she turned to the side, her belly sticking out. It had gotten more round recently and it reminded him of the new stage of life they were embarking on. 

Julia was six and a half months pregnant now. 

It wouldn’t be much longer until their baby arrived.

David smiled as he watched her and rose from the bed. He walked up behind her as she bent down awkwardly to grab a pair of heels and placed his hands on her waist.

“Who cares if I’m late?” he asked, breathing in her rosy scent.

She eyed him over her shoulder, gently pushing his hands away. “Your boss.”

He zipped her skirt the rest of the way. It often got stuck, and she would need his assistance. It took much deliberation on his part to zip it instead of taking it off. Especially on a busy day like today. Perhaps if he distracted her enough...

”But you’re my boss...or at least one of them.” 

Julia faced the mirror as she fixed a curl that had fallen out of her ponytail. As her hair got longer, she wore it down less and David suspected she simply didn’t have the energy to style it. He had noticed she had started to fade earlier at night, crashing into bed sooner than usual, if briefing memos didn’t demand immediate attention. He’d caught her stopping to massage her lower back, her shoulders and head sagging. With everything going on, he imagined her hair style wasn’t ranking too high on her list of priorities lately.

“We work in the same building, but I’m not your boss anymore. I can’t excuse you from being late."

“But what if I’m late because my _wife_ makes me late?"

“Unlikely,” she said with a scoff. “I’m nearly bloody ready! If anything, you’re going to make _me_ late. And then I will have some choice words for you!”

David walked up behind her again and started nipping at her neck. His arms came around to her front as his hands traveled lower and he began to unbutton her shirt.

“Can’t we go in late just this once?” he whined indignantly, knowing he probably sounded like Charlie when he wanted something he couldn’t have.

She sighed, “No, David. If we go in late, it’s going to throw my entire day off. I have a handful of meetings and two conference calls I have to get through. And that’s all before noon.”

“Come on, please?” he pouted and then nibbled on her ear—her new favorite thing—and soon, she felt herself melting into him.

“Fine,” Julia turned, taking his chin in her hand. “But you’d better make it quick. I can’t afford to be later than I already am.”

Just as she had given permission, David reached the final button on her shirt, dragging it down her arms, and leading her to their bed.

xxx

They lay side by side, covered in thin sheets of sweat that were starting to dry on their skin, leaving a sticky sensation. 

“There’s nothing I love more than pregnancy sex,” David stated, his chest heaving.

Julia rolled her eyes. “Oh, god.”

“What? I’m just stating the truth. You’ve always been a bit of an animal in bed, but now…”

”David!”

“Can’t I show appreciation for my wife being amazing in bed?!”

She scoffed. “You don’t have to be so vulgar.”

“It’s not vulgar, and since when did you care?” he asked, smirking.

“I just--I’m a little more sensitive to things now,” she admitted as she looked away. 

Recently, she had become self-conscious about her performance in bed. David did his best to assure her nothing had changed besides the obvious fact that her belly was growing, but even still, her confidence was shaken.

“Are you?” he teased.

He leaned over and grabbed one of her breasts, squeezing it roughly which caused Julia to let out a groan.

“That’s painful, you know?” she said as his fingers continued to knead her flesh.

“They didn’t bother you last night.”

“Yes, but today they’re especially painful and... _oh_!”

“What? What is it?” He let go and sat up quickly, his eyes going wide.

She waited for the sensation again, staying completely still. Soon, she felt another flutter and turned her head to look at him, a smile taking over her face.

“The baby is moving!”

David’s face lit up as he watched her.

“Here.” She took his hand, “Let’s see if you can feel the baby today!”

Julia held his hand against her stomach and waited patiently for their child to make its presence known again. “Anything?”

He shook his head, trying not to feel hurt that he had yet to feel their baby.

He watched her a moment longer as she stared down as if silently willing their child to move for him. And then he felt it. “Oh, my god, Julia! I felt it!”

“You did? You felt that?”

David nodded furiously, his eyes welling with tears. 

“Yeah…” he choked out. He bent down, placing a kiss over where their baby grew, and then looked up at her.

Julia smiled. “I’m so glad you were finally able to feel!”

He swallowed and nodded at first, not fully trusting his voice. His hand rubbed over the area where he had felt the movement, gently encouraging their child for more.

This time, David was rewarded with something more forceful. A real kick, perhaps? “ _Whoa_! I felt that!”

Julia sighed, nodding. “I’m fairly certain that was a foot.”

Her hand pressed over the spot where now a tiny foot kicked persistently against her skin. 

“I can’t believe there’s a little person in there!” His face beamed as he stared down, watching as her hand rubbed back and forth. “It’s so much more real now.” 

She laughed. “Of course, it’s real. You have done this before!”

“Well, yeah.” He nodded. “But I was gone a lot when Vicky was pregnant. I could have missed this if I hadn’t persuaded you back into bed.” 

“You know I would have quit whatever I was doing to find you.” 

“You would?”

Julia nodded. “Yes, don’t be silly. I wouldn’t keep this from you.”

He smiled, rubbing his thumb along her jaw. “Even if you were in the midst of a conference call with the President of the United States?”

She laughed heartily. “Especially, then. You know I can’t stand talking to that fucking bastard!”

David began laughing too. “Good.”

“Thank you for that!” He kissed her, his hand still resting on her bare stomach. “I never got to feel Ella or Charlie,” he stated sadly.

Her hand came to lay on top of his. “Really?” She swallowed, suddenly feeling guilty that she had inadvertently been the reason he hadn’t been at home with his pregnant ex-wife. “I had no idea.”

He shrugged. “I’ve been trying not to compare your pregnancy to hers. What little I was there for was pleasant, but it was nothing like this.” Their fingers were laced together now. “And I’ll actually be at the birth this time.”

“You weren’t present at the birth of either of your children?” Now she felt awful. Terrible, if she was being honest. 

“That’s not entirely true,” David assured. “I made it to see the final push for Charlie.”

“But...you weren’t there for Ella, and you narrowly missed your son being born.” Julia looked down as she started fiddling with a loose string on their bedsheet.

“Hey.” He laid a hand on her cheek, forcing her to look at him. “Do not blame yourself for that. I was back in London at the time, but I was the one that kept myself from going to the hospital when I should have.”

Her eyes slowly rose to look at him. “Why?”

“I was stuck in a deep depression. It took a lot for me to face Vicky when I had returned to her like that. I wasn’t ready for another kid, especially when I was so mentally fragile. But once I saw him...things changed. He didn’t cure me, but I came out of the fog for a bit.” 

David gave her a reassuring smile. However, he could tell by her face that it didn’t do much to quell how she was feeling. 

They’d had a few conversations on his time spent in Helmand and about how he felt knowing Julia repeatedly voted for troops to remain in Afghanistan. After sharing the horrors he witnessed, she had apologized saying if there was one thing she regretted, it was that. Once she knew just how bad things had been, she admitted to feeling guilty for keeping him away from his young family. And even though David had said he had forgiven her, he suspected it was something she still had to overcome. 

He watched as Julia continued to mess with the string, rolling it between her fingers as they both fell silent. He knew she hated how emotional pregnancy hormones made her. And he knew that any irrational feelings she had intensified. 

There had been one or two instances where even the smallest thing would induce an outburst. He continually had to remind himself it wasn’t personal.

As they lay together in the quiet of their room, David looked at their joined hands that were tangled over their child. He was almost certain she had fallen asleep when he felt her shift and heard her utter a low ‘shit.’ 

Julia sat up with a grunt, beginning to fix her hair. “Now we’re definitely going to be late.” 

He sat up too, as she bent down to pick up her skirt. He stretched as he stood and then went around to her side of the bed, helping her dress again.

“It will be worth it though, huh?” David offered trying to lighten the mood.

Julia rolled her eyes as she slipped her arms through her blouse. “Yes, I’m sure my staff would love to hear all about it!”

**Later that day**

As David rounded the corner to her office, he glanced at his watch. It was just after twelve. Her final conference call should have ended. However, his stomach dropped as he looked through the glass walls and saw Julia’s head in her hands.

He moved hurriedly, worry rising within him. 

David stood outside her office when her head popped up, obviously feeling his presence. She gave him an irritated look. Clearly, the call was still going. It was then he registered the voices coming through the speakerphone.

With his hand on the door, he watched as her head went back into her hands, and she began massaging her temples.

By the looks of it, this call had turned into a disaster. Typical, David thought to himself.

Eventually, he heard them exchange pleasantries, and she hung up the phone, looking at him again.

Julia was silent as he entered the office and walked to her desk. 

He opened his arms, and she moved slowly, settling into his embrace and resting her face in the crook of his neck. 

“You okay?” He felt her shake her head as she mumbled something unintelligible. “What?”

“I said I wish I could have wine.” She looked up, frowning. 

David chuckled. He knew she loathed not being able to treat herself to a chilled glass of her favorite wine. 

He placed a hand on her belly, rubbing back and forth, trying to help her relax. “Oh! Someone is active again.”

“Yes,” she said, her head falling back to his shoulder. “Throughout my last meeting and both calls, constant movement.”

“Wee one,” David began speaking as he continued to rub her bump, “your Mum has had a rough morning. How about you give her a break?” 

At that moment, their child seemed to hear him and stopped moving.

Julia’s head snapped up. “How did you do that?!” 

He shrugged his shoulders. “Magic touch?” 

“That’s not fair! I’ve been trying all morning!” she whined, her arms dropping to her side.

He released another small chuckle. “Someone’s demanding a lot of attention, hmm?”

Julia groaned, and he kissed her head, rubbing her back now.

“Are you ready for a bite to eat?”

She stepped away from him. “Actually, I was thinking of taking the rest of the day off.”

“Really?” He arched an eyebrow. Julia never left work early. 

She nodded. “I feel like shit.”

“You’re not coming down with something, are you?” David’s forehead creased, his face clouding with concern. 

“No, I just have a terrible headache,” she said, shaking her head slowly. “And I’m exhausted.”

He kissed her. “Alright. Well, who do you need to talk to first? Patrick? Joanie?”

“I spoke with both of them over an hour ago between calls. They’ve been instructed to call me only if there is an emergency.”

“Let’s get you home then.”

When they arrived home, David spent the rest of the afternoon pampering Julia by making her tea and massaging her feet. He hoped she wasn’t getting sick after all, and luckily a few hours later, she woke up feeling refreshed. It seemed all she needed was a long nap.

xxx

Another few weeks passed, and with it, Julia’s temper continued to flare beyond anything David could have seen coming. 

Things at the office were becoming hectic as her team prepared to lobby another bill. Which meant Julia was constantly in meetings with Roger, where of course, he couldn’t help himself and often hurled rude remarks toward her; usually things that had nothing to do with the bill. And to make matters worse, there were rumors floating around that she might try to announce a bid for Number 10 again.

She flew into their house in a rage that evening, throwing her briefcase on the floor, and furiously rushing to the kitchen. David heard a few curse words and followed, finding that she had poured herself a glass of water.

“Bloody asshole! Does it hurt him that much to see me possibly holding a higher rank than him?” Julia took a long gulp of her water, stepping out of her heels carefully. The size of her belly was throwing things more off balance now. 

He knew the question was rhetorical, so he steadied himself against the island as she continued her tirade.

“And just where does he get off telling me I can’t be Prime Minister while raising a child? Cameron, Blair, _and_ Johnson all had children while they were in office! Is it so fucking different because I’m a woman?!”

Again, David knew these questions weren’t meant to have answers. She was merely ranting aloud. 

“Today he said we needed to rewrite the bill. And he was so smug about it, too. When I said we weren’t doing that, he said I was being hysterical. It took everything in me not to throttle him!”

She proceeded to the fridge, taking out the tub of mayonnaise and then shifted to the cupboard, grabbing a small jar of marmalade. She covered two pieces of bread in both condiments and slapped them together.

David grimaced as he observed her making the sandwich. Her pregnancy cravings had become quite strange as of late.

Julia took a bite. “It wasn’t enough that I had to be married to the sod for five years and listen to him then. Now he has to do it when I’m so unbelievably happy?”

She huffed, taking another bite, and turned to lean against the island with him.

At her silence, David took that as his cue to respond. 

“Love, you know he’s always been that way. He’s never going to change. Why do you let him bother you?”

“He doesn’t usually, but…” she grunted in frustration, stamping her foot. “Today he hit a good nerve!” 

She popped the last bite of her sandwich into her mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even greet you as I came in.”

Julia turned, wrapping her arms around his neck. She closed her eyes as she kissed him, releasing a sigh and a soft hello.

“Hello,” he murmured against her lips, his hands on her hips as he kissed her again.

David held her a moment longer, and then he turned her around to massage her shoulders.

“Ohhh,” she moaned, instantly feeling herself relax. “That feels wonderful!”

He kissed her neck. “I’m glad!”

After they had eaten dinner, David prepared a bath for her knowing it would help with her back. She wasn’t one to complain, but he knew she’d still been having issues. He continuously found her rubbing her lower back or letting out a quiet moan when she thought he wasn’t paying attention.

He filled the tub with a lavender bubble bath mix and helped remove her clothes.

Julia gingerly stepped into the tub and sank into the water, the bubbles washing over her.

He dimmed the lights after lighting a candle and went to the door.

“Don’t go,” she said, extending a hand.

“I’ll be right back,” David nodded. “You just relax.”

He returned shortly, carrying a large basket in his hands, and then he kneeled beside the bathtub, pulling out some of the items.

Julia opened her eyes when she heard him. “What’s that?”

“A package that was delivered this morning. Ella and her friend put it together. It’s a home spa kit!”

“Oh my god!” She was impressed a twelve-year-old had thought of such a lovely gift. 

“I told her how tired and stressed you are.” 

“What’s in there?”

David bent down to the basket again, shuffling things around. “Let’s see... a couple of face masks, hand salve, exfoliant, an eye mask, three loofahs, stuff for your nails, fuzzy socks, and some other things I’m not quite sure about.” 

He lifted a white plastic two-pronged device, inspecting it utterly bewildered.

“Oh, I think that’s a neck massager. You can put it in the refrigerator for a few hours before you use it.”

“Ah,” he hopped up. “I’ll do that now.” He ran from the bathroom as she sat up, leaning over the side of the tub to inspect the basket further.

As David came back, Julia withdrew a rose-scented face mask from the basket. “Ella is too sweet! I can’t believe she did all this!” 

She leaned back again, looking around. “Where’s my phone?”

“Why?” He picked up a pink loofah from the tub, twirling the string around his finger. He flinched when he was hit by droplets of water.

“Because I need to call and thank her right now!”

“Okay, I’ll get it,” he stated, dropping the loofah as he stood to dry his hands. 

“Where is it, love? It’s not by our bed,” he yelled from their room when he couldn’t find it.

“Oh, it’s still in my briefcase,” she hollered in response.

Within a couple of minutes, David returned with her phone in hand. He handed it to her and sat on the edge of the tub, watching as she dialed Ella’s number.

“Julia?” the small voice answered. 

“Ella, your Dad has just shown me the gift you and your friend made me! I can’t thank you enough!”

“Of course! I know going to a real spa would be too risky right now, so my friend suggested I make you a home kit!”

“It’s lovely!”

“Her Mum owns a salon, so she helped us get everything together. I know your back has been bothering you, so I made sure she added some creams to help with that, too. Now Dad can give you a massage!”

Julia looked at David then. He knew. Of course, he did. 

“Yes.”

“And if you want, I can come over after school tomorrow to paint your nails. Especially since you can’t see your feet!”

Julia laughed. “I would love that! Thank you, Ella!”

“You’re welcome!”

“I look forward to seeing you tomorrow!”

“See you tomorrow, Julia!”

When the call ended, Julia rested back against the tub and shut her eyes. Moments later, she felt warm water rolling down her head and opened her eyes to find David washing her hair.

After they were done, David grabbed a towel and draped it around her shoulders, holding a hand out to her.

As she drew one leg over the tub, she gasped feeling a sharp pain low in her stomach.

“What’s wrong?” he asked when he heard her.

Julia shook her head. “Just a cramp.” 

“Okay,” he kissed her forehead, helping her out the rest of the way. “Let’s go to bed!”

While she readied herself for bed, Julia continued to feel cramps below. But she kept it to herself. Not wanting to alarm David. She thought that once she got off her feet maybe that would help.

Unfortunately, she would be wrong.


End file.
